


The Half Blood Prince and his Pupil

by ForgetMeNotFanFics



Series: The Half Blood Prince and ... [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Classroom, Dungeon, F/M, Fluff, Herbology, Hogwarts, Potions, Slug Club, Wizarding World, relationships, student, teacher
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-01
Updated: 2017-09-08
Packaged: 2018-04-24 08:33:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4912540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ForgetMeNotFanFics/pseuds/ForgetMeNotFanFics
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Three years have gone by since Linnaea and Severus last spoke to one another, Lily has gotten married and Snape has decided to work as a professor at Hogwarts. Only four more years of instructing the witch and she will be out of his hair for good. After all, how could these wizards from opposite ends of the bloodline spectrum ever get along! Sequel, Fluff, Severus Snape, OC</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. First week of School, 1980: The Cyprari Family

**Author's Note:**

> If you haven't read the prequel to this: The Half Blood Prince and the Puffapod, the following story will make little sense. Please read that before proceeding. All good now? So, the story shall continue! As you know, people mature with age, so chances are the next addition to the story may lead the rating to go up from a tender General Audience to a rugged Teen and Up. Before each chapter will come a rating for the following story (for example this one is rated GA) and you can determine on your own whether or not to read. The overall rating will be the highest it gets across the chapters, so if it changes to Mature or Explicit and you aren't up to it, just stick to the GA chapters and you should be fine, although you may encounter plot holes.
> 
> This Chapter is Rated GA

**The Cyprari Family**

_First week of School, 1980_

"Now that you have become familiar with the Babbling Beverage, proceed to the closet in an orderly fashion to retrieve the ingredients." As students began to shuffle over to the cupboard, the potions master added. "Only get the required amount, no more no less." Preparing his own cauldron for the class's brewing session; Professor Snape spotted an immobile mass of curly golden hair connected to a Hufflepuff's robes. The girl under inspection was looking over a book, immersed in its contents. Deciding this was a proper occasion for some scolding, the newly titled professor began his walk over to the distracted teenager.

"... add ten drops of morning dew, stir clockwise twice, throw in some powdered asphodel and wait three minutes until the potion is done. The color should be a light lilac." After reviewing the assigned potion for the third time, the blonde looked up to see her teacher squinting his eyes at her. "Is there a problem sir?" The seated fourth year straightened her skirt, as if it had gained a wrinkle since she last adjusted it.

"Care to inform me as to why you aren't gathering your potions materials." He looked at the brown eyed girl with his typical stern expression. However, something about her seemed familiar, so he had yet to proceed to negative speculation on her aptitude.

The witch simply reached into her rucksack and retrieved a small leather box. Upon opening it, Professor Snape saw average potions ingredients alongside fresh flora, carefully organized and bagged into separate compartments based on alphabetical order. "I have some already." The girl pulled out the required materials and placed them on her desk. As her neighbor rejoined her, the difference between their garden ingredients was clear. While the plant cuttings from the supply closet had dried up, slightly degrading their potency, the Hufflepuff's were fresh as if cut only a few days ago.

Immediately, foul play was suggested. Potions ingredients were something students either bought on their own during visits to Hogsmeade, brought from home, or purchased at the beginning of the year during their trip to Diagon Alley; and most store bought ingredients were fairly dried out before being sold in order to increase shelf life. "Did you sneak these away from the Greenhouse? Steal them from Professor Sprout?" The dark haired teacher squinted his eyes and placed an emphasis on 'sneak' and 'steal', hoping to entice the student to tell the truth.

"No, sir." The brown eyed girl twirled a small ringlet of hair with her index finger before explaining. "I grew them myself. I talked to Professor Sprout at the end of last year, asking if I could utilize one of the old greenhouses for my studies. She said yes, and over summer, I began cultivating a garden to transplant here in the autumn. It's a rather tight fit and in need of some serious repairs, but it still works wonders for the plant life." Her glimmering brown eyes met his stone cold black ones. As he revved up for a rebuttal she moved the twirling finger to her cheek. "Say Professor, do you remember me?"

Not expecting her query, Snape thought back to his earlier thought of having met the girl before. Glancing at her eyes, he could not place the witch's identity before he made a realization. "You've charmed yourself. Blonde hair and brown eyes are a very rare combination. Your hair color is charmed blonde, otherwise I would recognize you." He seemed somewhat pleased with himself, granting the girl sight of a narcissistic smirk.

"Close." Retrieving a 12.5" rigid walnut wand with a unicorn hair core, the fourth year tapped her temple, dispelling a charm she had cast earlier in the morning. Her light brown irises faded away to be replaced with a mismatched set of dark brown and bright blue. "How about now Professor Snape?" The fourth year let the teacher retrieve his old memories before recoloring her eyes once more. "Simple glamour charm to help me blend in a bit better, helps with some more judgmental peers as well."

"Linnaea Cyprari." He would have trouble forgetting the girl's name after her help back in his final year as a student at Hogwarts. Not only did her puffapod beans cause a boost in his already exceptional grade, but the interaction between the two of them also softened Lily's opinion of his character. Even though she had married Potter since their graduation and bore his son a little more than a month ago, the age old friends of Sev and Lily were still close.

"Hey, Sis." A male brunette with similar brown eyes, although probably natural, approached Linnaea's desk. An immediate note was made on behalf of the professor; this boy was in Ravenclaw. Already Severus's mind began to process the situation. This potions class was part of the required curriculum for fourth years and held no repeat students who had failed earlier. Thus the boy in question was of the same age, denoting that either the duo were step siblings born of two different mothers or fraternal twins. "Can I have some of that asphodel? I'll lend you my mortar and pestle if you do, I know how rubbish you are at that powder spell." Looking at the instructing professor, the brother explained. "Turns it to soot she does."

The Hufflepuff extended her arm to deliver a bag of the requested flower before it was snatched from her by Snape. Opening the container, he retrieved a cutting of the flora before placing it in a vial, "puldrify." A yellow light emitted from the tip of his wand and the flower became powder before their eyes. "For that spell you want to make large circles with your hand and small circles with the tip of your wand. It can be tricky but not impossible." Turning to the sibling, Snape asked. "Your name?"

"Laverne Cyprari," The boy stood up straighter to address the professor.

"In the future Mr. Cyprari, offer help to your peers rather than blackmail them into assisting you. As for the asphodel, there is plenty in the closet for students to make use of." Laverne's face fell as he made his way to the closet.

"Is he your twin or a step brother?" Curiosity provoked the potions master to ask the student.

"Twin, only way there are more than one Cyprari in a generation." Linnaea watched as her brother sat on the opposite end of the room following retrieving his ingredients. "Always a competition when there are multiple siblings in our family. Only one gets to carry on the family name, continue our pureblood legacy. The others get some money thrown at them, assistance in acquiring a job, and a legal last name change. Already I've slipped up quite a bit; it would take a half dozen miracles for me to gain the upper hand." Looking at the ingredients in the leather case, the free spirited blonde picked up a puffapod bean and tossed it on her desk, watching with childlike amusement as a flower bloomed on the spot. "I'm content however." Returning her glamoured eyes to her teacher she grinned. "My future is an open one, his is straight and narrow."

"Why are you so positive about being tossed out of a prestigious bloodline?" Snape's upper lip quirked in near anger at her giving up so quickly. "It's an advantage in life you should fight for."

"I'm not losing my heritage, simply allowing it to be overlooked." Shrugging her shoulders Linnaea continued. "Besides, if I let my blood carry me through life, how can I differentiate between what I am capable of accomplishing as a witch, and what my family name does for me?"


	2. Fall of 1980: To Touch the Clouds

**To Touch the Clouds**

_Fall,1980_

“Good afternoon Professor Snape.” A cheerful blonde nearly skipped into the room alongside her fellow detention goers, who seemed much more glum to be in the hands of the potions teacher. Upon registering who the welcoming cry belonged to, the wizard clad in all black looked up, flummoxed that one of his less hated students was a member of the latest batch of troublemakers.

“Afternoon.” He spoke this to the group before returning to his brew. The cleansing potion for tonight's detention was nearly finished. “Today, detention will be composed of cleaning the cauldrons as well as some of the recently used vials.” At first the students began to smile, a cleaning spell was one of the earliest lessons they had learned, performing it to cleanse the classroom would make their task no more than fifteen minutes. “By hand of course.”

A low grumble was heard across the masses. Counting the heads of the students, Snape evenly divided the dirty cauldrons across the group. Each person had around fourteen beakers and vials, two full sized cauldrons, and three mid sized ones. Passing out sponges, Snape was sure to give his most detested students the grimiest of the bunch, reserving a somewhat clean one fore Linnaea. Once he reached the fourth year, he saw that she had already removed her robe and vest in preparation for the task. Rolling up her sleeves, she accepted her tool and plopped down on the dungeon floor, tilting one of the larger cauldrons toward her so it would rest on its side and she needn’t bend her back too much to reach the bottom. “Lumos,” she muttered, trying to get a good look at the damage she was dealt. Shrugging her shoulders, Linnaea mumbled “Nox” to cancel out the spell before dipping her sponge in the cleansing potion and beginning to scrub the slimy walls of the pot.

While her comrades took their own cauldrons to desks, giving themselves a proper chair, Linnaea stayed seated on the ground. Halfway through her first cauldron, the witch used a hot water spell to remove the loosened gunk before transporting it across the room and to the disposal drain. Continuing her task, she was surprised to see Snape walk over to her. When it became clear that she was his final destination, as he ceased moving, Linnaea stopped scrubbing and looked up at the man“Is there a problem Proffessor Snape? I thought you told us water spells were allowed?” The girl readjusted her sleeves during the impromptu break.

“There is no problem Ms. Cyprari. I am merely curious as to what you did to warrant a detention? Although not the best of my students, you aren't much of a troublemaker.” Linnaea notably smiled at his comment of her studiousness.

“I missed a class.” Moistening the sponge, Linnaea returned to her punishment. “ To be specific, I missed one of Professor McGonagall’s classes on the day of a test.”

“Ah, forget to study?” Snape now regretted his earlier act of generosity toward her.

“No, I was knocked out.” Linnaea grinned upon seeing the man’s furrowed brow and confused expression. “I’m growing some mandrakes as a fun a side project, and on accident, I dropped one of the pots. Upon rustling free of the dirt, it proceeded to scream and I passed out. Professor Sprout found me a few hours later.” Linnaea recounted the story as if it were drab news, focused intently on the final layer of sludge that clung to the cauldron.

“But, McGonagall punished you anyway?” The Gryffindor headmistress was always thought of as one of the more caring teachers, why would she punish an accident like this.  

“Well, I’m trying to keep my little greenhouse a secret for now, just between me and Professor Sprout. I’m growing some pretty intense plants and I don’t want word of that spreading around.” Linnaea wiggled her feet in glee upon unveiling a patch of clean metal in her cauldron. “But, I trust you not to tell.” She looked up and the man with a smiled, when suddenly, a folded bit of parchment in the shape of an airplane hit her on the forehead. “What?”

Snape snatched the plane and opened it, only to have a loud horn blare in his ears, the paper was charmed to be read only by its target, and as an interceptor, he received a sinister punishment. While the residual effects of the loud noise lead the Professor to stumble as his eardrums recovered, a broomstick ridden by a sixth year Gryffindor zipped into the room alongside a few other members of the quidditch team. The group created quite a distraction as a majority of the detention goers fled the scene. However, the orchestrator of the bunch did something far different. Zooming between Snape and Linnaea, he grabbed the hand the witch had been using to hold her sponge, before pulling her up and onto the back of his broom. Instinctively, she grabbed onto the boy as he sped around the chamber on his broomstick. Dropping a few prank flash bombs, the student and his companions escaped the room without their identities being revealed to the Professor.

Left in the dungeon with a mere two of his initial delinquents, himself being half-blinded by the raid, Snape was furious.

Meanwhile, Linnaea was trying to wrap her head around the situation, students below the soaring broom were quick to hurry back to their dormitories or hide in an empty classroom, but she alone had been toted along by one the the mischievous students. “You alright back there Linnaea?” A familiar, but unidentifiable voice came from the black haired boy she had latched onto.

“Who- who are you?” The young witch asked the wizard, eager to understand his reasons behind kidnapping her.

“You’ll recall soon enough.” The Gryffindor made a swift right at the top of the stairs, directing the tip of his broom toward the main doors of Hogwarts. “Hey, still curious as to what the clouds feel like?” The boy held onto his broom with a single hand, using his untethered one to whisk open the doors with his wand. As they flew out into the night, Linnaea became instantly terrified of her captor.

“What are you talking about?” The Hufflepuff seriously considered jumping off the broom until she recognized that they were well above fifty feet in the air and climbing.

“I don’t expect you to remember much of it, but think back to last year, when you went to a quidditch game and caught a quaffle straight to the noggin.” The boy prodded her brain as he steered them slowly up and around one of the taller towers of Hogwarts.

“I was loopy for more than two days after that.” She recalled the horrible memory, her lips tightening as if she had tasted something awful. “It was some Gryffindor who hit me, and he never even apologized.”

“Yeah, Tim can be that way, stubborn as an ox. But if you recall correctly, another member of the team helped you to Madame Pomfrey, and the entire ride there atop his broomstick, little Miss Cyprari kept commenting on the clouds. ‘Are they soft?’ she would ask the Gryffindor, ‘Is flying through them like running across a misty field?’” The mischievous boy finally turned his head around, letting his prisoner see chocolate brown eyes, somewhat ruffled black hair, and a gleaming smile. Linnaea became at ease upon recognizing the boy.

“You’re that Gryffindor ” She was unable to construct his name, but determined it started with a ‘D’. “I remember you, you left quite the impression after all. But, that doesn't explain what you’re doing.” She looked around as they now levitated just above the roof of one of the highest towers at Hogwarts.

“Nice to know I left somewhat of an impression, it's Dominic by the way.” The boy steered them toward a nearby balcony, intent on giving the rest on his explanation on solid ground. “But, though my impression on you was fleeting, the one you had on me lasted from the instant I saw you, all the way through summer and to this very moment. Now, I come to you with a proposition, since you have occupied my mind for more than five months, may I occupy some of your time? There is an upcoming trip to Hogsmeade, and I would like to know if you would be interested in accompanying me for the day.” The smooth talking Gryffindor held his broom in one hand and outstretched the other for her to take. Face flushed pink with embarrassment, Linnaea took the offered hand and gave the boy a shy smile.

“Okay.” Nodding her head lightly, she looked out at the night sky. “But for now, I think I should head back to detention or at least to the common room.” Shivering in the cool breeze, Linnaea looked down and remembered her vest and cloak were still in the dungeons. Although she had backups in her room, they weren't fighting off the cold now.

“Here.” Dominic took note of her discomfort, removing his own quidditch robes and wrapping them around her shoulders. “Now, how would you like to touch the clouds?” He asked with a wicked grin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please remember to comment~


	3. Fall of 1980: In Search of a Laugh

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (A/N: I’ve had this chapter waiting in the wings for a while, just wanted to give my mind a break before reviewing it, you know what they say “a fresh pair of eyes” and all that jazz)

**In Search of a Laugh**

_ Fall: 1980 _

“Where is it.” Snape rooted through the shelves in search of a component for his latest potion. Each container he flung behind him rested in mid air, waiting to be returned to their designated spot as soon as he located what he desired. Upon finding the proper ingredient jar, the potions master grumbled in disbelief. Empty, no wonder his usual ‘Accio’ spell didn't work.  Strutting out of the room, the man whisked his wand to the right, organizing the levitating containers and returning them to their proper shelves within seconds. ‘Perhaps Professor Sprout would have some alihotsy growing in the greenhouses’, he though. Deciding to make the short journey himself rather than send an owl, Professor Snape locked the ingredients closet and his adjacent classroom before ascending the stairs out of the dungeon and onto the main floor of Hogwarts.

Once the professor reached level ground, the concentration of students rose dramatically. The damp dungeons he enjoyed working in were usually only populated by a few Slytherins due to its proximity to their dormitory or couples in search of a quiet place to snog. Now that he was among the throng of adolescent witches and wizards however, his ears became filled with dull humdrum as they vocalized their emotions to one another. Tuning out the squealing youths with ease, Snape strode through the small clusters and continued his walk toward the main doors.

Finally making his way past a clump of Ravenclaws debating cloud formations and their meanings, Snape opened one of large main doors and left the comforting heat of the castle, practically hitting a wall of crisp, autumn air as he entered the yard. Making an immediate right, the man continued his journey, his usual black cloak whipping in the wind dramatically as it protected him from the cold.

Sanctuary would hardly describe his destination, although warmer than the grounds, the greenhouse was terribly humid as well as overheated. Deciding to put manners aside so he could leave as quickly as possible, Severus called out to Professor Sprout from the threshold of the door, “ Professor Sprout, are you here?”

There was a rustle from nearby followed by a shrill voice answering his query. “JUST A SECOND DEARIE.” Snape listened as nearby shears opened and closed with vigor before the squat woman entered his line of vision. “Oh, Severus, what can I do you for.” Dropping the clippers unceremoniously on the ground, the witch wiped her forehead with a muddy glove, smearing some already present dirt across her brow.

“I was wondering if you had some spare alihotsy, seems I’m fresh out.” Snape told the herbology professor. Pomona scrunched her eyes in thought before replying.

“No, sorry. I removed them a few months ago to make room for some flitterbloom, you know how much they love to uproot gardens. Just finished trimming the devils as a matter of fact.” She gestured to the clippers beside her. Snape began to consider his options for retrieving the plant, a run to Hogsmeade wasn't impossible, but homegrown ingredients were always more reliable in terms of potency. Before further contemplation however, his train of thought was interrupted. “Wait, I think we may have some, just not here.” Pomona picked up the clippers she dropped and started meandering toward the man, gesturing for him to leave the greenhouse. Together they walked along a line composed of similar buildings until they reached a somewhat beat up, mid sized greenhouse. Opening the door, the older witch ushered him inside before shutting it quickly behind them. “One of my star pupils wants to keep a constant temperature in here, so the doors can only be open for seconds at a time.” Professor Sprout beamed upon relaying the information to the man.

“I see, and this concerns me because?” Snape looked around the room, plants were strewn about the place in a more than haphazard manner. Looking up he even saw a few potted plants suspended in the air.

“She may be growing what you need.” The herbologist looked around before spotting an occupied coat rack and pointing it out to the man. “Ah yes, she’s here. There’s her cloak.” Sure enough, the knobby old coat rack housed a Hufflepuffs gold trimmed robes as well as two polished mary janes, evidently the student swapped clothes before beginning her work in the garden so as not to dirty the uniform. Pomona was about to begin her search for the girl when the sound of shattering glass reached the duo’s ears. Perking up, the older witch bit her lip. “Uh oh. That came from shed nine, never a good sign. LINNAEA.” Professor Sprout called out into the cluttered greenhouse. “SOMEONE IS HERE TO SEE YOU.” Quickly turning to face Snape, she explained rather rushed. “I need to check out next door, you’ll be fine, the girls a peach.” Quickly she exited the building, slamming the door behind her.

“PROFESSOR? ARE YOU STILL THERE? I HEARD THE DOOR SHUT?” Leaves began to rustle as a young witch neared the potions master. Rather than arrive through the quivering bush, the fourth year Hufflepuff took an alternative route.  Crawling under a few low hanging branches beside the entrance of the building, Linnaea looked up at the man in shock before her face melted into a smile. “Oh, are you my caller Professor Snape?” Scootching forwards, Linnaea stood up and brushed off her shorts and airy shirt before readjusted her wide-brimmed, light brown hat. “To what do I owe the honor?” The Hufflepuff questioned him as she retrieved a watering can off of a nearby hook. Casting a quick spell, she filled the container with water and added a splash of a nutrient potion before sending it on its rounds through the building.

“Professor Sprout believes you may have some alihotsy, a plant I am in dire need of.” Snape looked around the room, searching for said plant until he snapped his head back when he heard the girl giggle in amusement.

“Ah yes, I am often in ‘dire’ need of a laughter inducing plant.” Linnaea snorted before nodding her head to tell him that she did infact grow the plant in question

“Are you mocking me Ms. Cyprari, because I am not beyond deducting points from even the most helpful of students.” She shook her head in the negative and cleared her throat before addressing the stern professor once more.

“There’s some in back. Follow me if you want to pick the cuttings.” Taking an alternate route which allowed the duo to move standing upright, they reached a small clearing in the center of the greenhouse. Although Linnaea moved on, Snape stopped when he felt his shoe connect with something other than soil, looking down he realized he was stood atop a small one way glass chamber full of devil’s snare. Pausing for a second to admire the writhing vines, the Professor continued following his student deeper into the building. “Here we are.” Linnaea gestured to a cluster of large pots.

Snape knelt down to critique the small tree. Although Linnaea was clearly busy maintaining so many different plants, she didn't shortchange any of them on care. He was hard pressed to find a bruised leaf on his walk over and spotted none on this tree either. “Diffindo”, a soft green light was emitted by his wand as a section of the plant was easily cut. Placing it in the jar he brought with him, the potions master tucked the container away and was preparing to stand when Linnaea let out a soft cry.

“Oh no,” The young witch pulled off her hat and held it above Snape as the watering can she previously charmed began to douse the area near them. While Linnaea shut her eyes to prevent the nutrient rich water from irritating them, she got drenched in an effort to keep her potions teacher dry with the protective hat. Upon the can’s departure, Linnaea remarked “that was close.” Curling her hat inward, she used the pooled water to feed shielded plants before returning it to her crown.

Although marginally touched, Snape was quick to inform the Hufflepuff of her mishap. “I hope you are aware that as a Professor at Hogwarts, I can perform a beyond satisfactory shield charm to deflect falling water. Next time, warn me and defend yourself.” Standing upright he watched the girl clear mineral filled water from her eyes before she nodded in agreement.

Upon opening her somewhat watery, mismatched eyes, Linnaea verbally agreed, “All right, sir.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (A/N: Comments (as usual) would be lovely~)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: A small chapter, but necessary. Its been a while since I wrote, but I've been inspired to continue work on this.

**Secrets**

_Winter 1980_

"Come on, where are you?" Linnaea mumbled, running her eyes over the many books in the library before Madam Pince attempted to help her. The section she was working with housed books with worn, leather covers that housed subjects not typically handled by the standard curriculum. She was starting to worry about whether or not she would find a publication suiting her needs, but located one just as she was giving up hope. "Gotcha." Her lips split into a smile. Holding the title of the book to her chest, she walked into one of the more empty areas to peruse it in private. The first few chapters explained culture and habits while the remaining explained a few key phrases in the subject's guttural language. Taking out her quill and a blank sheet of parchment, the fourth year started taking notes. It was a start.

Weeks had passed, and with it her knowledge had grown. The Hufflepuff felt giddy, even though she was only scratching the surface of the subject. It was fun to learn something aside from the designated material from her classes. A few times, her roommates heard her practicing in the middle of the night and asked if she'd undergone a Langlock jinx. Keeping it secret was the main issue, especially considering she now had a boyfriend atop her studies and herbology work.

"Hey Linnaea," Dominic kissed her cheek seemingly out of nowhere as she studied a second book she'd managed to find in the library. "What are you working on?" His brown eyes locked onto her own charmed pair.

"Care of Magical Creatures." She closed the book casually and turned her body toward the Gryffindor, hoping he wouldn't look at either her notes or the back cover of the old tome. "What aren't you working on? Don't you have N.E.W.T. classes to study for?"

"Yeah, but I want to spend time with you. Are you going to Quidditch practice today?" He asked, not noticing Linnaea flick her wand so the book would return to its proper shelf.

She straightened her skirt as she stood up, putting away the scroll she'd been writing on. "Certainly,." Linnaea smiled. "But before that, I take it you need some help with Herbology." The fourth year looked at a thorn caught in his robe and removed it with a smirk.

"Dealt with some snargaluff today and no, I don't need your help." The boy laughed lightly. "I just want to do something other than talk about coursework and N.E.W.T.s." The Quidditch beater took his girlfriend's hand and walked with her out of the isolated corner.

"Maybe you could help me out on a broomstick? I haven't ridden since my first year and I think it's a skill I should have expanded on more." She proposed nonchalantly, hoping he would accept without too many follow up questions.

"Sure. You'll love it Linnaea, it's loads of fun!" He remarked, only for Madam Pince to shush his outburst from five rows down. Apologizing, they quickly left the library and continued their conversation in the hall. "I'll get a spare broom and meet you down at the pitch." Dominic kissed her lips firmly before rushing off to his common room. A genuine smile split her lips as she watched him run off. She was happy, for many different reasons.


	5. Chapter 5

**Tea Time**

_Winter 1980_

The Potions Master was doing his usual rounds in the ingredients closet, grumbling when he noticed that a few of his stores has been completely depleted. Taking the jars in his hands, he began a walk toward the Hufflepuff who knew just as well as Professor Sprout the locations of the plants he needed. Seeing as the older witch was not available, she'd gone to pick up some fertilizer from a distributor, the young Ms. Cyprari would have to do.

Knowing Linnaea would likely be working in her own greenhouse, Snape bypassed a trip to the library and the Great Hall by going to the shed first. Opening the door and quickly shutting it behind him, the man noticed not only the Hufflepuff's robes on the coat hook, but a set of Gryffindor robes as well.

Donning a scowl, he made his way through the greenhouse, stopping for a moment to gaze at the devil’s snare that rest below a barrier of glass at the center of the room. Catching sight of a flicker of gold beneath the vines, he was pulled away from investigating the glass chamber by giggling. Jerking his head in the direction it came from, he overheard the tail end of a conversation. “--this one next.”

Making his way past the thick foliage, Snape entered a clearing which was occupied by Linnaea and Dominic. Beside them were a couple dozen jars, teacups, and a hot kettle set on an old, wood table. But that didn't grab the Potions teacher’s attention as well as their locked lips.

Linnaea and Dominic were currently kissing one another vigorously, his cheeks were tinted pink and both their eyes shut in passion. The Gryffindor held her shoulders in his hands, as if to keep her still, while her own were tucked close to her torso. At first Snape was merely annoyed, but then he saw her arms shake as if to get him off, and his own hands tighten their grip in refusal. Now he was upset.

“Eherm.” He made his presence known. Linnaea opened her eyes and placed her hands on Dominic’s chest to push him away. After a few moments, he did so, his cheeks still pinkish and eyes somewhat glazed.

“P-professor Snape.” Her face turned red out of embarrassment. “What can I do for you?”

“You can give me a reason not to tell Professor Sprout you were using the greenhouse she so kindly lent to your studies as a place to snog.” The teacher looked between them both, his words laced with venom.

“Wasn't planning to.” Dominic took a long swig of water from the cup beside him. “We were testing some tea Linnaea made. This most recent one was just more potent than she figured.”

“Yes,” she pointed out the jars behind her, which were full of various cuttings. “I made one to make the drinker more giggly, that one calms a stressed mind, and this one was meant to encourage romantic behavior. They aren't as strong as potions, but not as weak as muggle tea. I realized a lot of my plants had cool side affects and tried to combine them in this format. However, I understand that this isn't something to be done in the seclusion of a greenhouse, especially in such early stages of testing.” Dominic took his girlfriend's hand in his, kissing the back of it as she spoke. Wrenching it free, she offered him another cup of water, which he downed as she continued. “It won't happen again.”

“No, it won't.” Snape looked at the Gryffindor. “I think it best you leave before you do anything else you'll regret.” Dominic nodded vigorously, making his way out of the greenhouse. “Laughter, calming, and romance. One is not like the other.” He pointed out once he’d heard the door close.

“ Laughter for pranks, calming for exams. And girls adore love potion, but they aren’t something to be used lightly. They create new, false feelings about people we, presumably, do not know or care for. This tea just gently boosts the affectionate emotions we have for others.” She explained to the man. “But I didn't think it was that potent.”

“Had you tested it before.” He asked, wondering how she'd been so wrong with her calculation.

Linnaea nodded. “Yes, I drank a cup of it myself. But all it did was make me think of Dominic a bit more often than usual. It lasted around an hour. If anything, I thought it was weak.”

Snape smirked. “Funny, the Gryffindor who snatched you from my detention and got himself three weeks worth of it goes mad for you at the sip of the tea, but you hardly feel a shift. It's rather telling.”

She flushed. “It is not, it's a fluke. Of course I care for Dominic.” Linnaea backed up her statement further. “I just haven't known him for too long. He pined over me for a summer, I've known him only a few months. I-I just need time. Besides, I wasn’t proximal to him when I drank it, that’s another variable that needs to be taken into account.” She stopped herself as his condescending smirk only grew. “Now, what did you need?” The Hufflepuff took the conversation away from her relationship.

“These.” Snape handed over the labeled jars. “Full enough to last a term if possible.”

“Alright then.” Linnaea turned to clear off the table and her eyes locked onto the half drunk cup of tea. Dominic only had half and he reacted that strongly. Dumping the remains on the soil below her feet, the blonde led her instructor through the various greenhouses to get his components.

**Author's Note:**

> Please remember to leave a review!


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